Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Celiac Disease in Panama

Abstract

Introduction: Celiac disease is a systemic process of an immunological nature, triggered by the consumption of gluten, which occurs in genetically predisposed subjects. It is a prevalent condition worldwide with symptoms common with other gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal pathologies. In Panama it is a known but little studied entity. Method and materials:The study design was observational, descriptive, and retrospective in pediatric and adult population of the Republic of Panama in public and private gastroenterology units that provided their clinical files collected in a document prepared for uniformity of the variables. Results: Information from 171 files that met the inclusion criteria was analyzed. The information was divided into pediatric patients and adult patients, finding 68 cases under 15 years of age and 103 cases over 15 years of age. The ratio of male and female cases was 1: 1. Of the totality of cases studied, the majority were from Panama City in 77% and of the foreigners diagnosed, the Israeli population was the most frequently found in 76%. The most frequently encountered gastrointestinal symptoms were abdominal distension, chronic diarrhea, and weight loss, respectively. Dermatitis herpetiformis, thyroid disease, and oral thrush were the non-gastroenterological conditions most frequently encountered. Type I Diabetes mellitus was the pathology found that coexisted with celiac disease. Conclusion: With this epidemiological study, it has been shown that celiac disease is prevalent in our environment without being able to show a specific percentage.